TE Herian ready for a comeback in '06
Early on in the 2005 football season, the tight end position was clearly a weak link in the Nebraska Cornhuskers' offense. Penalties for illegal procedure, false starts, and holding were a common sight in the first few games, and more often than not the TE's were drawing those flags. As the season continued sophomore J.B. Phillips and freshman Clayton Sievers began to progress in the offense, and the penalties decreased. Despite that progress, the tight ends never became legitimate weapons in coach Bill Callahan's West Coast Offense. In 2006, the Cornhuskers look to change that.
The change begins with new tight ends coach Shawn Watson, brought over from Colorado following the coaching change in Boulder. The first player Watson enquired about upon being hired was senior tight end, Matt Herian.
Herian, an All Big 12 selection in 2003, is one of only three tight ends in Nebraska's history to notch over 1,000 yards receiving for a career. His speed and elite playmaking ability often times caused problems for opposing defenses during his first two seasons as a Cornhusker.
Unfortunately, Herian has not seen the playing field since suffering a devastating leg injury against Missouri in October of 2004. Despite the fact that he missed the final three games that year, Herian still finished the 2004 season as the Huskers second leading receiver, a testament to his vital role in the offense at that time.
It's been a long road to recovery for the Pierce, Nebraska native. Herian has undergone surgery on his injured leg twice. The most recent procedure, which occurred last spring, eliminated any possibility of playing time in 2005. But December brought a welcome sight to the Nebraska practice field.
As the team prepped for their Alamo Bowl appearance, Herian returned to practice. While he was limited to non-contact situations, it was clear that his teammates and coaches were happy to see him on the field again. All reports indicate he was running at full speed.
Now, with spring practice set to start in Lincoln on March 22, Husker fans are eager to see their native son return to the team full time. For the time being, however, Herian is expected to participate in a limited role during the spring, with the goal of returning to full contact in August. While he may never to be able to fully recover, and perform at the same level he did prior to his injury, Herian's ability to stretch the field vertically from the tight end slot should allow Nebraska's running game to develop more consistency in 2006.
The tight end position plays a pivotal role in the west coast offense, and when an elite player fills that role it inevitably causes mismatches for opposing defenses. Nebraska lacked a playmaker at tight end in 2005, and the offense suffered at times because of it. In his first two seasons, Matt Herian proved he was one of the elite tight ends in the Big 12. His return to the Nebraska offense promises to add a dangerous weapon to the Cornhusker arsenal as well as add to the discomfort of opposing defensive coordinators.